51 



Italy. In India, Fletcher has bred from C. vesuviana, Bracon fletcheri, 

 Silv., and Biosteres carpomyiae, Silv. C. incompleta, Becker, was 

 described from a specimen taken near Suez. It has also been found in 

 south Italy on Z. safiva, in the Sudan and in Eritrea on Z. spinachristi. 

 Its habits are similar to those of C. vesuviana. In Italy the author 

 bred from it the Chalcid, Eupelmus urozonus, which parasitises many 

 other insects, including Dacus oleae. From pupae collected in Eritrea 

 in 1914 several examples of Opius concolor, Sz., were obtained and 

 also two females of a species of Tetrastichns allied to T. yiffardianus, 

 Silv. Marchal bred 0. concolor from pupae of D. oleae collected in 

 Tunisia, and it has also been recorded in TripoU. A bibliography of 

 14 works completes this paper. 



Emelen (A. van). Trigona versus Apis. — Chacaras e Qaintaes, Sdo 

 Paulo, xiv, no. 4. 15th October 1916, pp. 758-759. 



The destruction of a colony of Apis mellifica (honey bee) by the native 

 bees, Trigona amalthea, 01., and Melipona (T.) iviUiana, Friese, is 

 reported from Cachoeira Grande on the Amazon. An attempt to 

 introduce colonies of Apis ligustica into the Ceara district is also stated 

 to have been unsuccessful owing to the attacks of native bees. 



Malenotti (E.). Prospaltellafasciata, Malen., n. sp. — Separate, dated 

 25th October 1916, from Redia, Florence, xii, no. 1, pp. 195-196, 

 1 fig. 



A description is given of Prospaltella fasciata, sp. n., bred from 

 Chrysomphalus dictyospermi infesting Sanseviera arborescens at 

 Florence. 



Insect Pests of Tea,. -Repl. Dept. Agric, Ceylon, for the Period January 

 1st 1915 to December 31st 1915, Colombo, pp. C2-C3. [Received 

 7th November 1916.] 



It is stated that Mr. E. R. Speyer has discovered that the true host- 

 plant of the shot-hole borer of tea [Xyle.borus fornicatus] is the castor- 

 oil plant, Ricinus communis. Swarms of these beetles emerging from 

 this plant estabhsh themselves in the tea trees, and even at altitudes 

 where tea is found to be immune, the beetle is found in castor. The 

 only remedy is complete extermination of this plant throughout the 

 whole tea-growing area. It is also proposed to break up the vast tea 

 areas by shelter belts of immune trees and undergrowth, in order to 

 check migration and facihtate control. Wind belts have been also 

 recommended for controlUng the tea tortrix [Homona coffearia], and 

 the opinion is now held that this pest must also be made the subject of 

 special investigation. 



Henry (Gr. M.). Abstract from the Report of the Assist. Entomologist.— 



Rept. Dept. Agric, Ceylon, for the Period January 1st 1915 to 



December 31st 1915, Colombo, p. CI 2. [Received 7th November 



1916.] 



The following pests are recorded as occurring in various districts in 



Ceylon : — On tea : Zeuzera cqffeae, Nietn., which is only a serious pest in 



nurseries ; Heterusia cingala, Moore, which was rather severe in 



(C34C) a2 



